Improvement in buttons



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. MEACIIAM, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUTTONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,897', dated April 8, 1862.

lo all tch/071?, t may con/corn:

Ee it known that I, GEORGE A. MEACHAM, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Buttons; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull and exact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a back view of the button bcfore it is placed on the shank. Fig. 2 is a section of the same. Fig. 3 isback view with the shank secured in place, and Fig. 4 is a section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

l\[yinvention is an improvement on the button patented by me January l0, 1860.

The nature of my invention consists in a headed stud or fastening so constructed as to be capable of being fixed to the garment independently of the button proper and allow of the button being subsequently attached thereto when used in combination with a solid faced button-head adapted to be so attached, whereby the fastening maybe firmly fixed to the garment and the button loosely attached to and capable of turning thereon, and also allow of dii't'erent buttons being attached to the same fastening, it' desired.

The nature of myinvention also consists in the employment of a movable key or locking piece within the button, in connection with and so arranged relatively to an opening in the back of the button that the head ot' the stud or shank maybe placed in the said opening after the stnd has been fixed to the garment, and may be securely fastened therein, so that while the button is at liberty to rotate upon the stud and to be rocked to a limited extent thereon it cannot be removed without unlocking or destroying it.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to dcscribe its construction and operation by the aid of the drawings.

D is a headed shank, andII is acollar litted thereto.

I is a nut or Washer. The cloth G is placed between thc Washer or nut I and the collar H, and by screwing or riveting the shank D to the washer I the whole is firmly attached to the garment, as represented.

A is thc face ot the button proper, and B the back, firmly attached one to the other, and leaving a space in the interior, as represented. The back B is pierced with an opening M m, of such form that the head of the stud D may be inserted in the larger part M, and then be moved to the smaller part fm at the center of the back of the button. Tithin the space between the back B and face A, I place a disk C, which is free to rotate relatively to the button', and is pierced with an opening N n, corresponding to M m. A slot S in the back B allows the inserting of any suitable instrument for the purpose of turning C relatively to B.

To attach my button to a garment, shank D is first rmly fixed to the cloth of the garment G. The head CZ of the shank D is larger than the smaller portion m n of the openings in B and C and smaller than the larger portions M N of the same. Them therefore, the openin M and N coincide, as shown in Fig. l, the head of D is inserted through both, and then slid into the part m yn of the said openings, which correspond with'the center of the button. Now, by inserting an instrument in l the slot S the piece C is turned into the position shown in Fig4 3, completely locking the shank I) to the button, so that it cannot be removed therefrom, though it is free to rotate therein. To prevent any possibility of the piece O becoming turned back to its original position, so as to release the stud D,I make with a sharp-pointed instrument one or more in dcntations E in the back B and center piece C, which locks the parts O and B together, so that C is no longer capable of being turned relatively to B. This prevents D from being subsequently removed without rst destroying the button.

By constructing the stud D so as to be fixed to the garment separately from the button it may be screwed or riveted firmly thereto without in jin-ing the face of the button. The garment may be finished and pressed before putting on the buttons, which are therefore out of the way while pressing, and when for any reason it is desired to change the button the face or head A B C may be broken and removed and any desired style of button attached to the stud D without removing the latter from the cloth or interfering in any manner with its attachment thereto. Ordinarily buttons cannot be replaced after a coat is finished without either sewing through the lining (and in some instances lining and pockets) or ripping open and resewing a large portion of the garment.

By means of the locking device C, I am enabled to produce a face-button which has all the advantages of the button patented by me January l0, 1860, among which are ease in buttoning, owing to the looseness of the button on the shank, less strain on the fastening from the fact that no twisting force can be applied, and less wear 0n the button-hole from the fact that the button is free to move with the portion containing the button-hole instead of being rigidly fixed to the other portion of the garment.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isn l. A stud or fastening D CZ, so constructed as to be capable of being securely attached to the garment independently of the button and admit of the button being subsequently attached thereto, in combination with a button-head having a solid or continuous face and adapted to be so attached in such manner that it may swivel around freely thereon, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. A button having' the key or locking-piece C rotating or otherwise movable Within it and so arranged relatively to the opening M m in the back of the button and to the head d of the stud D that aft-er the latter has been fixed to the garment the button may be securely fasten ed thereto with liberty to move thereon, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing wit- Vnesses.

G. A. MEACHAM.

Witnesses:

THOMAS D. STErsoN, WM. B; SMITH. 

